AFF ad mocks Obama excuse note

6/7/12 7:02 AM EDT

When you open your print copy of POLITICO today, you might notice an unusual message from President Obama excusing his own absence from the Wisconsin recall.

The note, of course, isn’t actually from the president — it’s an ad taken out by the American Future Fund, a top GOP independent expenditure group, mocking Obama’s decision not to campaign in the race.

“Dear Wisconsin Voters and Union Leaders,” the mock note begins. “Please excuse my absence from your recall election. I feel terrible about missing it … I wanted to drop by last week when I was nearby in Minnesota and Illinois, but Sarah Jessica Parker called me and I completely lost track of time.”

A larger version of the ad is viewable here. It’s a good example of why Obama’s involvement, or non-involvement, in Wisconsin, was likely to be a win-win for conservatives: if he campaigned for Tom Barrett and lost, they’d have called that an embarrassment.